Electrode structures for generating ions of one or other polarity commonly rely upon sharp pointed electrodes or small diameter stretched filaments for creating a corona discharge in response to an applied high ionizing voltage.
However, ions generated in this manner are strongly influenced by a high intensity electrical field near the electrode surface that controls ion movement and reduces the effectiveness of a flowing gas stream to capture, collect and deliver ions to the charged object.
Moreover, pointed electrodes and filament electrodes are prone to deposit on the electrode surfaces byproducts of corona discharge in the gas stream. These deposits of byproducts create instability of corona discharge, reduce ion generation and disrupt ion balance in the gas stream.